What kind of pianist shows up for a major concert - that is apparently a big deal - a mere 45 minutes before the start? And whose warm up consists of sitting on a bench sighing every so often. Not even a warm bowl of water to steep his hands in?
One that's screwed up obviously, laying the foundation of his character and his not wanting to do the performance. As far as the water, really? Ok piano man I'm sure everyone was aghast when he didn't dip his digits before beginning.
He's going to perform a major concert with no practice AT ALL with the orchestra? He just flew in, hasn't played a concert in 5 years, yet you don't see him so much as stretch his fingers before going on stage! Ludicrous.
Well it's not exactly a drama, you don't exactly see his every move and he did stretch his fingers at least once for what it's worth.
Why does he get changed in the limo? Honestly, what pianist shows up at the concert hall dressed in white tie already, and a raggedy rucksack over his shoulder? Is he unfamiliar with the concept of dressing rooms?
As previously stated, it's called character development. How often do you see what a pianist shows up wearing? Again, character development.
Who on earth would put up, in plain sight around backstage catering, a note mocking the headline act's stage fright? If it was the 'criminals' then how did it last more than a few minutes where it was?
Someone who thinks he's a talentless dick and wants him to fail. At what point was it made clear as to the elapsed time of the note on the door?
Why is there not even a stage manager accompanying him backstage? Why is there a cleaner wandering around with his mop and bucket before a major concert, and why is he scowling and shaking his head at the headline act?
Do you hang around backstage at concert halls often, or possibly have a janitorial job at one?
Why does he have to tell the limo driver to drop him 'round the back'? Was he really going to just drop the star pianist at the front door?
Have you ever heard of "the red carpet" entrance? He didn't seem like he was ready for such attention imo.
How can a pianist, no matter how far back on some platform (we'll skip over the idiocy of placing a pianist in such a position so far away from the orchestra; no doubt some dumb attempt to placate the following complaint), get away with talking loud enough to be heard on a phone (which he dialled mid-performance) three feet away, or talk into an ear piece without anyone noticing. Placing the piano an extra ten feet back doesn't solve this particular plot hole. What, is everyone at this concert got glaucoma or something? Are the orchestra members closest to the pianist not going to hear him at some point talking to himself? And how on earth is he managing to play these taxing pieces whilst, not only talking to the gunman, but reasoning and arguing with him?
You didn't pay any attention, it's said numerous times that he talks to himself while he plays, it's one of his quirks, again mentioned numerously. He can play the pieces out of memory, he is the supposed best.
Ok dude the f'ing text box has literally hit the default bottom and I have no intention of continuing to stretch it any further, I believe, enough said.
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cancerparty
10 years ago
One that's screwed up obviously, laying the foundation of his character and his not wanting to do the performance. As far as the water, really? Ok piano man I'm sure everyone was aghast when he didn't dip his digits before beginning.
You say screwed up, but it's indicative of this really messy conflict between him apparently being a genius and a total choker. There's too much emphasis on the latter to really believe in the former. As for the water thing, I wasn't saying it HAD to be water for him to put his hands in, but a five-second shot in Shine captured perfectly the atmosphere of a pre-performance, you know, to actually make you feel like you're at a major concert. And it's not about realism, either. It's about upping the drama by upping the stakes.
Well it's not exactly a drama, you don't exactly see his every move and he did stretch his fingers at least once for what it's worth.
If the director/writer wants to us to believe in the stakes of the concert, then bloody well show us! Instead he just traipses on stage with a worried look on his face. Some frantic warming up would have made a heck of a difference. Otherwise the drama is sucked out of proceedings. The film falls into that lazy trap of 'insisting' that an event is so, instead of it being obvious. Ie it should be clear from the actor's performance where he is emotionally, not to be told through lazy exposition.
it's called character development. How often do you see what a pianist shows up wearing?
Getting changed in a car isn't character development. It's pointless and needlessly difficult. He's apparently not in a hurry.
Someone who thinks he's a talentless dick and wants him to fail.
If the note's been there for a long time that's even more idiotic! Especially when a cleaner's always walking around.
Do you hang around backstage at concert halls often, or possibly have a janitorial job at one?
No I don't. It says a lot about this film that I have no janitorial experience yet still find it idiotic that a cleaner is walking around before a performance. Even a damn office waits until employees are out the building before cleaning up. Yet this major concert hall has one mopping as a performance is about to start.
Have you ever heard of "the red carpet" entrance? He didn't seem like he was ready for such attention imo
Whether he was ready for attention or not is besides the point. When was the last time you saw a musical act of any kind walk in the front door. It's the fact the limo driver seems surprised by this too.
You didn't pay any attention, it's said numerous times that he talks to himself while he plays, it's one of his quirks, again mentioned numerously. He can play the pieces out of memory, he is the supposed best.
This one actually annoys me most. Because it's not part of character, something the writer has put in to make the protagonist feel more real. It's something they've tacked on to explain a plot hole (someone talking to themselves during a piano performance). I paid plenty of attention to it. That's why I know it's bad writing.
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MobyTontyn
10 years ago
The janitor shakes his head because the pianist drops a screwed up music sheet on the floor. Perhaps you should watch the film next time.
"Report that to the National Trust mate."
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Thrill_KillZ
10 years ago
Idk if you happened to catch the other thread on this board where me and another user partook in the same kind of tit for tat sort of discussion. In the other thread it turned out that the user was in fact an experienced pianist and in that being the case it explained everything, as for the pre-performance setup, players exact routines and basically the way in which a concert hall runs. Our perspectives could not have been different.
I watch films, a ridiculous amount of them at that. While I constantly read and generally thirst for a wide variety of information about an even wider variety of things, I know absolutely zilch about anything that occurs or does not occur inside of a concert hall and have never said otherwise. Any kind of info concerning it has done well at eluding me.
As for quoting any further, I think we both know that it's best to agree to disagree here and use the newly allotted time to find a thriller worthy of both our praises.
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cancerparty
10 years ago
As for quoting any further, I think we both know that it's best to agree to disagree here
Neither of us are changing each other's minds any time soon. So finally we agree on something :) I'm sure I'm a fan of something you find equally far-fetched etc etc. Such is film.
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Ripshin
10 years ago
Yes, it is a horrible, ludicrous film. Quite shocking, that it received as many good reviews as it did.
I wonder…the director considers this some sort of Hitchcock homage, apparently. When Wood's character leaves the airport, and jumps in the limo, a man is seen running by, and yelling "Taxi!" I am curious - is it a director cameo? It just seems pointless, otherwise. Hitchcock is known for these cameos, of course.
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The_Mob_Has_Spoken
10 years ago
I felt sorry for Cusack and Alex "Bill S. Preston, Esquire!" Winter when watching this turkey, but they at least got million dollar pay days out of it, which definitively proves once and for all that reading screenplays before deciding whether or not to sign on is for suckers. Child actor Elijah Wood can go and suck it, he's worthless. Hate him. The Spanish producers, writers, and directorial staff all have my pity because they are so clueless and delusional about their own lack of talent that it is heartbreaking, but this pity is easily overshadowed by apoplectic rage that they were able to get this multi-million dollar turd of a movie made when lots of far superior films cannot even get financing. The people on IMDB defending this drek as if it's some masterpiece and making excuses for it truly do have my pity. I wouldn't even pick on them about this. They simply do not understand what makes a good movie good and what makes a bad movie bad, but they love to watch movies. It's like a blind guy who goes to nudie bars (Wait a minute! If you were to go to a nudie bar merely pretending to be blind, I bet all the strippers would think it's cute and take pity on you and giggle while they let you squeeze on their titties! Yer a genius, Mob!). Nothing but sad.
This neat old song came to mind after watching this crap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akLKrd7zlS0
"Ass to ass. Ha ha ha ha. ASS TO ASS!"; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa5z77EI8y0
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